Quasiparticle heterodyne mixing in SIS tunnel junctions

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.90782· OSTI ID:6458319

Richards, P L; Shen, T M; Harris, R E; Lloyd, F L

The rapid onset of quasiparitcle tunneling current in superconductor-insulator-superconductor (Josephson) junctions at voltages above 2..delta../e is being used for millimeter-wave heterodyne mixing. Junctions with a 2-..mu..m diameter and R/sub N/=50 ..cap omega.. have little capacitive shunting at the signal frequency of 36 GHz. Because there is no series resistance, residual capacitance can be tuned out. Double sideband conversion efficiencies of 0.32 and mixer noise temperatures as low as T/sub M/< or =7 K=4h..nu../k have been observed. The results are compared with shot-noise-limited mixer theory. Photon-assisted tunneling effects are seen which indicate the approach to photon-noise-limited operation.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
• OSTI ID: 6458319
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 34:5; ISSN APPLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment &amp; Devices
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CAPACITORS
CURRENTS
DATA
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FREQUENCY CONVERTERS
HETERODYNE RECEIVERS
INFORMATION
JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
NOISE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIO EQUIPMENT
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
ULTRALOW TEMPERATURE